Rim for vehicle-tires.



. G. RGL?` RIM FOR VEHICLE TIRES.

APmmAfoN man Nov.12.1914.

fin'

UNITED sra'rns JOSEPH G. ROLF, O F COVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

RIM FOR VEHCLE-TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov, 30, 1915 Application led November 12, 1914,. Serial No. $71,645.

1its object is to facilitate the placing of the tire on the rim and its removal therefrom.

My invention consists in the parts and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a partial plan view oil a wheel rim embodying my inventionzvFig. 2 is a partial side elevation of the same, with part of the tire in place thereon;

- Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of the same showing the rim in contracted condition; and Fig. e is a partial side elevation of a rim showing a modification of my invention.

The rim 1 is of the kind which may he taken from the wheel center, 'the telly 2 of which is shown in Fig. 2, this rim having an internal groove 3 by means of Which it is secured to the felly 2, and having external inturned side flanges 4 which hold the tire 5 by engaging over a lateral projection 6 thereon. Demountahle rims, like the rim 1, and of other designs,'when vmade continuous, while readily demountahle from the wheel center, have the tire 5 removed from them only with the greatest difliculty, it loeing necessary to pry the projections 6 from under the flanges 4 by the use-oit a suitable toch, and it even being necessary to use two such tools in doing this. in order to remove the' tire from such a continuous rim it is necessary to stretch the tire, which is very heavy and strong, even if it be a pneumatic tire and be deflated; and if the tire is solid it even more stronglyv resists the stretching and distortion necessaryto disengage it from the rim. Not only does the operationinvolve great labor, lont even results in damage to the tire by the use of the tools thereon.

My invention involves the provision of a discontinuous rim which may be removed from the wheel center and then collapsed or contracted so that its exterior diameter' is considerably reduced relative to the intorior. diameter of the tire, so that the exof the cnt which has the lower lip 9.

cessive stretching of the tire in order to disengage it from the rim is almost wholly obviated, making it possible to remove the tirati-om the rim without the use of tools or prying, it being possible to pull the tire from its position with the bare hands in very much less time than has heretofore been required to remove the tire with the use of tools.

As exemplified herein the rim 1 has a cut 7 taken through it at a very low angle to its circumferential direction, leaving an outer lip 8 and an inner lip 9, which, when the riin is expanded to its normal condition, lie close enough;| to each other to aiiord the desired continuity of support of thetire 5 and its lateral projections 6, the inner lip 9 being.

supported against the wheel center.

For holding the rim 1 tightly around the wheel center a suitable clamp is provided, that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, being preferred. Not only does this clamp hold the rino around the Wheel center practically as rigidly as a continuous rim is held, but it also aitords the means for contracting the rim when itis removed from the wheel center and' of holding it contracted While the tire is heilig" removed from the rim. This clamp comprises the lever 10 swinging on a pivot 11 in the bracket 12 which is fixed to the side of the rim 1 by rivets 13,- around which are collars 14; spacing the bracket 12 out from the side of' the rini. This bracket is thus fixed to the rim close to the begin# ning of the ont 7 and preferably 'on that side short distance from the pivot.' 1l toe lever 10 has the link 15 pivoted to it hy means ot a rivet 16 with a collar 17 around the rivet, spacing the link 15 inward from the lever.

10. This link 15 extends over across the out 7 and is pivoted to the side of the rim by means of a rivet 18.

rlhe parts are so proportioned and the various pivots so located, that the lever 10 and link 15 may be drawnv parallel and thus lering the rim to its normal expanded condi# tion', bringing the pivots 11, 16 and 18 into alinement, and thus holding the rim in its normal expanded condition by virtueof this alinenient of the pivotal parts of the clamp. To hold the lever 10 and link 15 in such relative positions the lever 19 may have its end 10 bentinward and provided with a small lug 20, while the end of the link 15 adje.-v cent to the pivot 18 may have a notch :21 in llo which the vlug` 2O engages and from which it may be Adisengligefl b v virtue of a slight amount of resilir-ncy` which the lever 10 has. When the lever 1G is disengaged it may be swung inwardly of the rim around its pivot 'l1 until it has brought Athe pivot 16 on the other side ol the pivot 1l, as shown in Fig. l, thereby drawing the inner lip 9 inward along the inner side of the part that has the outer lip 8 and materially contracting-or decreasing the diameter of the rim. lVhen the er 10 has been swung so far over that it brings the pivot 1G diametrically opposite from the pivot 18, as shown in Fig. 3, the clamp will then hold the rim in its contracted condition 'for removal of the rim.

Stops 22 and 23 are provided above the pivot 11 on the bracket 12 and at opposite sides thereof to limit the outward swinging of the lever 10 so that the parts cannot be moved outward past their relative positions in which the pivots are brought into alinement either in the expanded or contracted condition of the rim, since such excessive movement of the parts would result in a beginning olz contraction or expansion after the desired expansion or contraction has been accomplished, as the case may be. These stops may consist of rivets with their heads projecting far enough for the lever 10 to engage with them.

By spacing the bracket 12 out from the side of the wheel rim by means of the collars 1st, and spacing the link 15 inward from the lever 10. which lever is pivoted on the outer Y side of the bracket 12, the link 15 is permitted to swing freely beyond the bracket l2 in the contracting operation of the clamp. Such a clamp as the one above described, is provided at each side of the rim across the cut 7 therein, and the two clamps thus provided are designed to be operated simultaneously in contracting or expanding the rim- In the modication shown in Fig. 4 the rim 1 is like that show-nin the preceding examples, .and has a cut 7 forming. an! outer lip 8 and inner lip 9 as before' described, but the clamp comprises the threaded rod 24 which has an eye 25 at one end, through li it .is pivoted bymeans of a rivet 26 to the sid-ef of the rim preferably at that ..1 of thecut 7 which has the lip 8, while on the other side of the eut is a bracket 27 fixed to the side-oi the rim by means of riv- 28 and having an opening 29 through h 'the 4'threaded rod 2lextends, this rod il having screwed thereon at, opposite sides of the bracket 27, winged nuts 30 and 31. Suitable convex washers and 38 may be interposed between the nuts 30 and 31, respectively, at the adjacent sides of the bracket 27, to compensate for the szing'ng of the rod 24 with respect to the bracket as the clamp is operated to contract or expand the rim. With this modified constructionv the rim is contracted by' screwing the nuts 30 and 31 over toward the pivot 2G and expanded by screwing them outward toward the free end of the rod 24, and such a clamp may be provided on each side of the rim.

1t will be apparent that the device shown in Fig. el is not adapted to be operated as quicklyA as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,

but may be desirable in some instances, especially with heavy rims where quick contraction by` means of the lever and link clamp would require more exertion than the operator is capable of. However, most rims are sufficiently yieldable to permit the use of a clamp such as that shown in Figs. 1, 2l and 3. As will be noted, the cut 7 is somewhat curved inwardly of the rim, thus shortening the cut and forming the lips 8 and 9 more blunt and thicker, as is'desirable to give them the required strength.

There a pneumatic tire is used, such as the tire 5 here indicated,- thc tire of course must have some means for infiating it, such as the stem 34E, and the ring 1 is provided with an opening 35 through which the stem extends inwardly of the wheel and through the felly 2 of the center thereof. Also, the rim 1 has some means for engagement with the felly 2, such as the lug 3U, to prevent the rim from turning with respect to the wh`eel center. Since the clamping means extends radially inward of the inner side of the rim at both sides thereof, it is desir able to locate both the opening 35 for the stem 34' and the lug 36 or similar means close to the cut 7 in the rim, so that the stem 3l and lug 36 or similar means may be inserted in their proper positions inthe wheel ,sa-idim having a cut throngh it at a low angle to its circumferential direction, whereby an outer lip and an inner lip are formed .u and the part having the inner lip being adapted to be drawn inwardly' of the part having the outer lip, thereby contracting the rim for removal of the tire therefrom, and a clamp on said rim comprising a link pivotally connected to the side of the rim at one side of said cut, a bracket fixed to the yrim atl the other side of said out and extending inwardly on the rim, a lever pivotally connected to the part of the bracket that extends inward, pivotal connecting means between the lever and the link, said pivotal connecting means and the pivotal part having the outer lip,

a link pivotally connected tracted condition lever and said link, nection of thev link alinementand hold the riin in expanded con! lever 1s swung to one sidel dition when the 'of the bracket, and to come substantially into other alinement to hold the rim in contracted condition wheiimthe lever is swung to the other side of the bi'ackct, and stops on said bracket for said lever, to limit the swinging of said lever and maintain 'said alinements.

2. A wheel rim adapted to holdV a tire, said rim having a cut through it at a low angle to its .circumferential direction, whereby an outer lip and an inner lip are fbrined, and the part having the inner lip being adapted to be drawn inwardly of the thereby contracting the rim for removal of the tire there'- rom, and a 'clampo'n said rinrconiprising to the side ofthe rim at one side of said cut, a bracket fixed to the rim'at the other side of said cut andon the rim, a lever `vextending inwardly the part of the bracket otally connected to `that extends inward, pivotal connecting nieans between the lever and the link, said pivotal connecting `meaiis and the pivotal connections of the link to therim and the pivotal connection of the lever to thebracket being adapted to come substantially. into alinement and hold the rim in expanded condition when the lever is swung to one side of the bracket, and'to come substantially into other alinement to hold lthe rim in conwlien the lever is swung to the other side of the bracket, stops on said bracketfor said lever, to liin-it the swinging of said lever and maintain said alinements, and means for engagement between said near the pivotal conto thei-im, to prevent said lever from swinging aWay from one of said stops. y

3. A wheel rim said rim having a cnt /tliroilgh Vit at a low angle to its circumferential direction, wherebyan outer lip and ai' inner? lip aire formed, and the part having ,the inner lip being adapted tofbe drawn inwardly of the part4 therebyv contracting the having the outer lip,

` the tire'- therefrom, and

rim for Aremoval. of al clamp on said rim comprisin votally connected to the side o the rim at one side of said cut, a bracket fixed to the rim K at the other side of said cut and extending inwardly on the rim, nected to the part of `tends inward, pivotal the bracket. 4that exing inwardly on the rim,

.extends vinw-ard,`

y connectin 'tions o f t e adaptedito hold a tire,-A

a link piv-z a lever. pivotally conconnecting 'mea-ns bey side of the bracket, means 4spacing said bracket laterally from the rim where the bracket is fixed to the rim, 'said lever being pivotcd on the laterally outward side of the bracket, and means'spacing said link inward from the lever where it is pivoted to the levei'.

rim and the. pivotal esy 4. wheel rim adapted toiiold a tire,

said rim having'a cut through it at a low angle to its circumferential direction, whereby an outer lip and aninner lip are formed,-

and the part havingthe inner` lip being adaptedl to be drawnA inwardly of the part having the outer lip, thereby contracting the rinrfor removal of. the 'tire therefrom, and a clamp on said rim comprising a link pivotally connected to. thesidc \of the rim at one sideof said cut, a bracket fixedv to the rim at the other. sideof said cut and extenda lever pivotally connected to theppart of the bracket that vpivotal connecting means between theflever and the link, said pivotal meansv and the pivotal conneclinlt to the rim a' connection ofthe lever bracket, and to come substantially. into. other alineinent to hold the rim' in contracted condition when the' lever. is swung' to the d the pivotal ,to th bracket being.l l adapted to come substantially into alinement and holdV the rim in .when theV lever is swung to ,one side of the i 'l expanded condition other side of the bracket,.inean s spacing'said y bracket laterally from bracket is fixed to the rim, lsaid-lever being pivoted on the. laterally outward side of the bracket, means spacing said link inward from the vlever where it ispivoted to the level', said link having a .notch near its pivotal connection to therim, and saidflever havin its end and-a 'ugon sai end part to. engage injsaid notch, to hold said lever andlink in rela,-

Vtive positions wherein their pivotal vconnections are maintained substantially in aline.- ment,'to hold the rim' in expanded condition. lJOSEPH G. lROLF. .\Vitnesses: 1 l

` v JAMns N. RAMsisr,

. CLARnNcn Paauw. v

11.0 artbent toward the lever, 

